Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to designs of, and methods of using, a guide wire and/or catheter together with optical tissue inspection.
Background
Coronary artery occlusion refers to the blockage of the blood flow in the coronary artery. Occlusion may be partial or complete and it can cause serious complications: partial occlusion forces the heart to work harder and it may derive into angina whereas complete blockage may cause heart infarction or even death. These occlusions may be produced by a gradual deposition of cholesterol and fatty materials around the wall of the coronary artery.
Partial occlusion may respond to pharmacological treatment (nitrates, calcium antagonists, etc.). In other cases, angioplasty may provide an effective solution for the arterial occlusion. Angioplasty is a percutaneous method that provides a minimally invasive technique to maintain blood flow in blocked arteries. The artery is mechanically widened by means of a balloon catheter. The tip of the catheter is passed across the blockage and then, the balloon is inflated. Afterwards, a stent is usually inserted in the vessel acting as a scaffold at the position of the blockage to maintain blood flow.
Angiography is an x-ray based imaging technique typically used for navigation of the balloon catheter or guide wire through the blood vessels. It is used to visualize blood vessels by means of radio-contrast agents. A less invasive approach is the magnetic resonance angiography, although it requires more complex setups.
Angiography provides only limited information about the occlusion structure and provides very little information about tissue characteristics. Current tools are unable to generate adequate information about the position of the guide-wire regarding the true lumen of the vessel.